Inclusion Matters By Shanes Inspiration

Education: Now in its 22nd year, Together, We Are Able is Inclusion Matters by Shanes Inspiration's unique social inclusion education program that directly addresses the issue of exclusion and bullying of children with disabilities in the school environment by bringing students of all abilities together through transformative, play-based social/emotional learning (SEL). The program has served more than 58,000 students in over 250 schools since its inception in 2003 and reaches approximately 3,000 students in the Los Angeles region annually. The program includes the following steps: Step 1: A 60-minute classroom conversation explores how students define and perceive disabilities. Through a combination of activities, students gain a new awareness of the common ground they share with their peers with disabilities as well as real-world tools on how to engage with children who have cognitive/sensory/physical/communication differences.Step 2: Participating students with and without disabilities are paired at an Inclusion Matters playground in Los Angeles or on their school campus for interaction and play. This gives them the chance to learn from and with each other, overcoming misconceptions and strengthening social/emotional skills through play. Locally, in Los Angeles, the organization supports the cost of bus transportation for the field trips for public schools that serve children with complex disabilities, which can be a significant barrier to participation for them.Step 3: A wrap-up 45-minute workshop allows students to synthesize their new awareness and identify simple actions they can take each day to create inclusion in the hallways, cafeterias, and on the playgrounds.Step 4: Additional support for schools includes professional development, inclusion planning, and facilitating inclusive recess events to continue the interaction throughout the school year.The program has been replicated in the U.S. and as far away as Ecuador. Program milestones include:2012: A teachers guide and training video were released online, reaching 67 countries. The resources include:oGuides for the pre- and post-field trip workshopsoA detailed inclusive play guide for the interactive play eventsoA modular education DVD that shows a day-in-the life of 3 students with students with disabilitiesoSupplemental reading to continue the inclusion conversationoA 60-minute, modular video training2022/2023: A university inclusion training program was launched in partnership with the US Embassy & Consulate in Ecuador, reaching over 1,900 university students, professors, and practicing teachers and 5,000 children throughout the country. The organization developed its powerful curriculum and training tools into an online course that teaches future and practicing teachers how to facilitate social inclusion on their campuses. 2023/2024: Via a partnership with the Los Angeles Unified School District, the organization hosts the largest Inclusive Schools Week celebration in LAUSD, an annual, national celebration held during the first week of December. During the past two years, 148 K-12 schools have participated. The weeklong event features inclusion celebrations on campuses that range from adaptive sports to the arts and beyond. The organization has directly facilitated inclusion for over 1,400 students those events.2024: The organization developed Inclusive STEPS: an early childhood inclusion training program. The self-paced, online course gives educators tools to facilitate inclusive social/emotional learning through play, serving a growing population of young students with disabilities. The course was launched in August 2024 and currently has almost 100 participants enrolled. Thanks to a partnership with Lakeshore Learning, educators can access interactive social/emotional learning toys and books. In addition, via a partnership with the Dell Pro Bono Grant Program, Dell employees created an outreach strategy that will allow the initiative to scale up statewide throughout California sustainably. During the 2025 program year, the training content will be formally evaluated with a university partner.

Community Outreach: Each year, Inclusion Matters by Shanes Inspiration hosts bi-monthly My Play Club events. My Play Club is a free, inclusive social recreation program for children of ALL abilities and their families that is held at one of their 44 Inclusive Playgrounds throughout the greater Los Angeles region. Face painting, arts & crafts, and snacks are provided, along with inclusive play on the playgrounds. Sponsors such as Crowe, Universal Studios Hollywood, and Disney provide special activities or entertainment at the events. Community partners volunteer their valuable time and talents at each event, providing adaptive recreation and art-based activities, volunteers, peer buddies with typical abilities, and wellness information. This program was created in 2002 and is based on the belief that play is the common ground of childhood. Since that time, it has been replicated in communities throughout the United States and worldwide and has reached tens of thousands of children with disabilities and their caregivers.Inclusion Matters by Shanes Inspiration participates in national/international speaking engagements that promote the power of social inclusion and inclusive play environments including the United Nations Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, International Disability Alliance Summit, the World Urban Parks Summit, to name a few. As a vital partner in Too Small to Fail, Inclusion Matters by Shanes Inspiration has woven cutting-edge early childhood literacy programming into inclusive playground designs nationwide. The team has provided advocacy and public education seminars that teach social inclusion best practices to more than 600 educators, partner organizations, and professionals.Inclusion Matters by Shanes Inspiration has received the following recognition: the first "Heroes for Health Award" by Good Housekeeping Magazine and General Electric; Council on Disability Award; Architectural Landscaping Design Award from the L.A. Business Council; and "Best Playground" from Los Angeles Magazine; Founders Catherine Curry Williams and Tiffany Harris received the Game Changer award from Los Angeles Magazine; National Eagle Award from the Disabilities Rights Advocates; the L.A. Parent Award for Outstanding Playgrounds (received multiple years in a row); and the Local Heroes Award from Bank of America. Inclusion Matters by Shanes Inspiration has been featured with Matt Lauer on "The Today Show", CNN, NPR, Los Angeles Times, Sunset Magazine, Los Angeles Family Magazine and the Jewish Journal. To support the continued growth of the organizations mission, Inclusion Matters has grown their Professional Advisory Board, which is comprised of health care professionals, child advocates, professors, and parents of children with disabilities. This prestigious group lends their expertise to ensure that the mission serves the social, physical, cognitive, and developmental needs of all children.